Considering a Fight-Worthy Shotgun

**L-2** · 08-07-2017, 01:24 PM

I can't fault a person for wanting a pump-action or semiauto shotgun. I know I've got both types.
This question reminded me of this Clint Smith (ThunderRanch video from a few years back):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NSLxxDWpOI

In the video, Smith shows working a single-shot break-open shotgun commenting, "I need to run the gun I got".

Whichever shotgun type ends up being bought, do try to get some expertise with it, whether it's shot selection (buck to slug); moving and shooting; reloading and unloading the gun; and the basics of stance, shouldering, and shot spread at a given distance.

Here's another video advertising a shotgun training DVD set you may want to obtain and view prior to buying a particular brand, model, & type of shotgun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XCv0X6SqUg

It's the older Magpul video with Costa and Haley teaching and showing how to run various shotgun types to a class.

Here's a current Amazon.com ad for this video: https://www.amazon.com/Magpul-Art-Dy...+shotgun+video

**OnionsAndDragons** · 08-07-2017, 01:24 PM

35 yds from my front door to the road. Unless I need to shoot a car, FFC should have my needs covered.

I will keep that in mind for when we escape the suburbs.

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**OnionsAndDragons** · 08-07-2017, 01:39 PM

There may or may not be a Givens shotgun class 5 miles from my house in a couple months...

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**Dagga Boy** · 08-07-2017, 03:54 PM

I have a ton of time on the 870, so I would never discount them as I have learned to run the 870 at a basically auto pilot level. With that said, it depends on a lot of factors. I am in process of working through what I am calling my "do it all" shotgun and the base for that gun is a Benelli M2 3 gun edition. It may or may not work out, but is based on a decision with a significant amount of shotgun experience behind it.
Based on a conversation recently with GJM....

If I went back to cop work, or wanted a very dedicated offensive use 12 ga. For hunting armed hostile humans in structures-14" Benelli M4, and it would have an Aimpoint Micro.

Home Defense dedicated first thing I grab at bump in the night.....My Vang 870. That role could be replaced with my Beretta TX4 if it ends up doing everything I expect of it at this point. Both will run Aimpoint H2's

Travel gun, General purpose, hunting back up, do everything....the nod went to my Benelli M2 3 gun. I am also shooting a Benelli Sport II for clay sports. Both are getting Aimpoint S1's.

I am also in the middle of a long term project with a Mossberg 500 that will fill a niche role as a covert/travel gun. Still a concept that will get done next year as funds allow.

**That Guy** · 08-07-2017, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Lester Polfus

In your process of shotgun selection, I'd encourage you to consider whether switching ammo types on the fly is important to you. If you live in dense, urban/suburban quarters, it likely isn't. If it is important, I'd give some thought to how the choice of platforms affects the ability to do that, as each action has its own quirks. I can do it pretty rapidly with either an 870 or Mossberg 500/590, have never tried with an 1187, and know that it takes 3 hands with a Mossberg Jungle Gun.

With an 11-87 when you pull back on the charging handle, you (of course) eject the round in the chamber, and have the next one fed from the magazine onto the lifter. There is no Benelli-like disconnect that would stop a new shell from being fed onto the lifter. So what you could do is pull the charging handle back, roll the gun so the round on the lifter falls out, throw in the round you want to load, and release the charging handle. Which in my opinion seems easy to mess up, since you're fighting against spring tension the whole time (but it of course could be that I just haven't practiced enough). Or, you could do the "universal slug selection drill" - assuming a fully loaded gun, rack once to make space, load a slug round into the magazine, rack a second time to chamber the round. (And then add a second slug into the magazine, if you have the time.) You can learn to do this in a fairly short amount of time, and the whole operation is fairly non-finicky and gross motor skillish. (Assuming you have an Easyloader on the gun.) If there's space in the magazine you can obviously omit the first racking. Either way, I don't think there is any really good way of not losing two rounds when doing a slug selection drill, so loading two slugs would be preferred.

No idea really how that compares to other self-loading shotguns, aside from the Benelli.

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**GJM** · 08-07-2017, 07:02 PM

This was my first run with the shotgun today, shooting three eight inch steel at 10 yards from the low ready, with my 14 inch Benelli M2 and high brass number six shot.